Means for transporting poles or the like.



A. B. CADMANI MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING POLES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. I916.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

A. B.'CADMAN.

MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING POLES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. l9l6. I

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

2 SHEETS-8HEEI' 2.

' nr nniwamm cannery, or Brnorr, WISCONSIN, assien'on, JBY nnsn'n assmnmnivrs,

.aNER'MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or sou'rH rnnorr, runners, a com onarron or Wisconsin.

BANS iron rnansron'rrn'e ronns on ran LIKE.

V 1.25mi.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Anni lBENJAMIN'CAD- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Trans porting Poles or the like, of which the following is a specification.

The general object of this invention is to provide improved means for transporting heavy poles or the like from place to place, the invention being particularly useful in hauling telephone and similar poles in building or repairing a line. The invention aims to provide means by which a load of poles may be securely attached to the rear end of an automobile and may be rapidly transported from place to place.

In traveling at a rapid rate there is considerable vibration both laterally 'and up and down, and it has been found difficult to load poles in such a manner that they will not work loose from their fastenings and become dislodged. A special object of my invention is to provide means by which the poles may be positively secured in place so as to eliminate all danger of them working loose even when the conveyance is passing rapidly along the road. I In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away, showing a transporting means embodying my invention, only a single pole being illus trated in this view. Fig. 2;-is a view show- 3 ing a plurality of poles in cross section and a device for securing all the poles together. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail View illustrating a tongue coupling device. Fig. 4 is a fragmental side elevation showing to the central pole, the tongue secured to the drawing automobile, and means for binding the pole to the tongue. Fig. 5 is a section .on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. Gis a section on lined-6 of Fig. 1, illustrating the mant5 ner of attaching the central pole to the tongue of the trailer. Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the means for attaching the central pole to the rear sill of the trailer. Fig. 8 is an elevational view illustrating the M-attaching means seen in 4i and 5 with the parts thereof spread out.

I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail, the preferred ematented Feb. 5, mi

Application filed September a, 1916. Serial No. naiw.

bodiment of my invention, but I wish to have it understood that I do not thereby int5 tend to limit the invention to the present disclosure but aim to cover in the'appended claims all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings: A W indieates the rear end of an automobile roadster;- B a two-wheeled trailer cart having a tongue B; and C a telephone or like polewhich is supported in and secured to the ---body of the trailer along the median FF line thereof and is connected at its forward end 'jfto the automobile A by means of a tongue D.

The tongue D is attached to the automobile by a disengageable coupling device E which is preferably though not necessarily of the ball-and-socket construction disclosed in my Patent No. 1,201,222, issued October 10, 1916. This coupler is illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 6, and comprises a ball elementand a socket element, one of which is secured to the automobile A and the other to the tongue D. The ball element may comprise a base 10 and an upstanding ball 11, the base being in this instance attached ,80 to the rear axle of the automobile A by suit able means, such as a -U-shaped bar or yoke 12 having its ends rigidly fixed to opposite ends of the axle, the ball element being fixed to the mid portion of saidyoke. The socket element of the couplerco'mprises a frame 13 open at top and bottom and having an attaching portion which is fixed on the forward'end of the tongue D,'the forward end of said frame being shaped to provide a socket proper for the ball 11. The ball is held in engagement with this socket by means of aretaining lever 14 pivoted at one end as at 15 to one side of the frame and extending horizontally across the frame behind the ball. Between its ends the lever carries a spring-pressed plunger 16'a'daptedto bear against the ball and prevent, rattling thereof in its socket. The lever 14: is at ranged to be fixedly secured in operative or ball-retaining position by a sprmgpressed detent 17 (shown in Fig. 6) which is mounted on the frame and is adapted to engage the lever. When it is desired to uncouple the device, the detent 17 is raised and the re- 1105 taining lever-14 is swung rearwardly away from the ball whereupon the tongue D may be lifted to disengage the socket from the ball.

The middle of the ,pole C rests on the trailer and the ends project forwardly and rearwardly beyond the body thereof, the pole being thus approximately balanced on the trailer. The forward end of the pole overlaps the tongue D and is secured thereto by means of a suitable number of binding devices F secured to the tongue and passing around the pole. In the present instance there are two of such devices which are identical and therefore onlyone need be described. vice in the preferred form comprises a suitable base which may consist of a transverse bar 18 fixed to the tongue D, a. chain 19 of suitable length attached to one end of the bar 18 by any desired means. and a short chain 20 attached to the opposite end of the bar and provided atits free end with an enlarged ring '21 adapted to receive the first mentioned chain 19. The two chains embrace or surround the pole C and a're'secured together by a fastening device preferably consisting of a hook 22 adapted to lie alongside the enlarged ring 21 and to be slipped edgewise over one of the links of the chain 19. as clearly seen in Fig. 4. The hook 22 may be secured by a chain 23 to the chain 20. It would be possible to dispense with the ring 21 and still have the hook 22 engage the other chain 19, in which case the chain 23 attached to the hook would serve as one of the binding-chains for the pole C. The arrangement shown in the drawings and just described. however. is the one preferred. One of the chains, preferably the short chain, is attached to the bar 18 by means of a tensioning device which .in the present instance comprises a relatively long eye-bolt 2* passing slidably through the bar and havin on its lower end a stop'such as a nut 25 rigidly fixed to the bolt by a cotter pin. 26 indicates a washer above the nut. A movable nut 27 is threaded on the bolt above the nut and is preferably in the form of'a bar to provide handles for turning it. 28 indicates a washer above this nut. A coiled compressionspring 29 surrounds the bolt 24 and is arranged to bear at opposite ends against the washer 28 and the supporting bar 18. As shown in Fig. 8. when not in use the head or eye of the bolt rests upon the bar and the adjustable nut 27 is positioned close to the fixed nut 25. There may be then a space between the upper end of the spring 29 and the bar 18 to allow for tensioning adjustment of the bolt and the ,chains when in use.

Inattaching a pole C to the tongue D, the chain 19 is passed around the ole and 'is slipped through the large ring 21 of. the chain 20. The chains are then drawn as tightly as can bedone by hand and the hook (See Figs. 1. 5 and 8.) Each de- 22 is slipped over the link of chain-19 which last passed through the ring 21 tosecure the chains. Usually the chains can be tightened alittle more by-utilizing the hook as a lever, one end bearing against the pole C or ring 21 for a fulcrum and the opposite end serving as a handle to exert tension on the chains. If the chain 19 is drawn farther through the ring 21 in this manner the position of the hook is changed to place it on a link closer to the'ring. the chain 20 will draw the eye-bolt upwardly through the bar 18 until limited by the spring 29.

' The pole C having been secured as tightly as possible in this manner. the nut 27 is now turned on the eye-bolt to compress the spring 29 and draw downwardly on the eye-bolt so as to cause the chains to exert still greater pressure against the pole C. This pressure, on account of the spring 29, will be constant so that the vibration of the conveyance and the pole C in traveling along a road will not loosen the grip of the chains on the pole.

The tongue B of the trailer cart has secured to its forward end the socket element 31 of a coupler such as hereinbefore dethan the other and having an enlarged ring- 35 through which the other chain may be passed. A hook 36 is adapted to receive the links of the chain 33 and bear against the ring 35 to secure the chains together in .a. manner similar to that described for the hook 22. The hook 36 may be attached to the chain 34 by a chain 37. It has been found more satisfactory to attach the trailer tongue B to the pole C through the medium of a ball element 32 secured in the v socket element 31 on the tongue than to bind the tongue directly to the pole C. The reason seems to be that the tongue when connected through the ball-and-socket is allowed slight lateral movement so that the trailer cart runs more satisfactorily especially when the conveyance is turning corners.

The pole C is additionally secured in a central position on the'body of the trailer by means shown in Fig. 7. This means may be identical with the means shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and hereinbefore described as carried by the tongue D, except that the base for the attaching bolts 38 and 39, instead of ,being a cross-bar on the tongue, consists of the rear sill 40 of the trailer, the tensioning nut 41 and the spring 42 being located beneath said sill. The trailer body prefman a erably comprises a bottom wall 43, two side walls 44, and forward and rear end gates 45 hinged to swing down out of the way.

By the means described the pole C isvery firmly secured in a central position on the trailer and to the tongue D attached to the automobile. llhe trailer is thus drawn through the medium of the pole. Preferably the wheels of the trailer are equipped with pneumatic tires to permit of rapid travel.

When additional poles are to be transported, two of them may be laid in the trailer body at opposite sides of the central pole C, as shown in Fig. 2, and additional poles may be laid on top of these. The whole load of poles isthen bound tightly .together by a suitable number of binding devices preferably similar to those carriedby the tongue D. If desired, a securing device may be mounted on the tongue D in addition to the devices for the central pole C and may comprise chains long enough to pass around the entire load of poles. Or a separate securing means may beused. As seen in Fig. 2, a separate base or bar 46 may be placed beneath the row of bottom poles, the bar having attached to opposite ends thereof the chains 47 and 48 with their fastening means 49 and a tensioning device 50, such as heretofore described. 1

After all of the poles have been unloaded from the trailer, the tongue D is uncoupled from the ball element 11 on the automobile A, the ball element 32 is uncoupled from the socket element 31 on the trailer tongue 18 and said socket on the trailer tongue is then.

associated with the ball on the automobile A. The tongue D and ball element 32 with their attachments and any other loose parts may then be carried in the trailer, the end gates being locked in upright close the ends of the trailer body.

- I claim as my invention:

1. Means for transporting poles or the like comprising, in combination; an automobilehaving a yoke attached to its rear axle, a tongue, a detachable ball-and-socket coupler, the ball element of which is carried by said yoke and the socket element by said tongue, a two-wheeled trailer cart having a body and a forwardly extending tongue, a pole supportedon said body along the median line thereof, a plurality of devices binding the forwardend of said pole to the first mentioned tongue, each device exerting a constant yielding pressure on the pole, a ball-and-socket coupling, of which the socket element is mounted on the forward end of the trailer tongue, means for binding the' ball element to said pole, and means for binding the pole to the rear part of the 1 trailer body and arranged to exert a constant yielding pressure on the pole, the first mentioned tongue being detachable from the position to tit automobile and the trailer tongue being then capable of directattachment to the automobile through the coupling elements carried thereby.

2. Means for transporting poles 6r the like, comprising in combination, a drawing vehicle, a tongue, a detachable coupling de vice for securing the tongue to the rear portion of the vehicle, a two-wheeled trailer cart having a tongue, a pole supported in said cart, means passing around the forward 'end of said'pole and engaging the first men tioned tongue for binding said pole and tongue tightly together and arranged to exert a constant yielding pressure thereon, means for securing the pole to the trailer tongue, and means for securing the ,pole to the trailer body and arranged to exert a constant yieldingpressure on the pole, the first mentioned tongue being detachable from the drawing vehicle and-the tongue of the trailer carrying a coupling element adapted to be then associated with'the complementary coupling element on said vehicle for directly attaching the trailer and vehicle together.

3. Means for transporting poles or the like comprising, in combination, a tongue,

means for detachably-connecting said tongue to the rear portion of a drawing vehicle, a

which is provided with means adapted to cooperate with a portion of the first mentioned means for detachably connecting the trailer tongue directly to the drawing vehicle, a pole supported by said cart, means for binding the forward end of said pole to the first mentioned tongue and arranged to exert a a two-wheeled trailer cart having a tongue constant yielding pressure on the pole, means for attaching the pole to said trailer. tongue, and means for binding the poleto the body of the trailer and arranged to exert a constant yielding. pressure on the pole.

4. Means for transporting poles or the like comprising, in combination, a tongue adapted to be detachably connected to and extend rearwardly from a drawing vehicle,

a two-wheeled trailer cart unattached to said tongue except through the medium of a pole supported by "said car, means for binding the forward end of the pole to said" tongue and arranged to exert a constant yielding pressure on the pole, means for securing the pole in fixed position on the sure on the pole, and means for securing the pole in fixed position on said trailer cart, the

first mentioned tonghe being detachable from the: drawing vehicle, and the trailer tongue vbeing capable of direct detachable connection with said vehicle in place of the first mentioned tongue.

' extend rearwardly from the central portion 6. .Means for transporting poles or the like comprising, in combination, a tongue adapted to be detachably connected to and of a drawing vehicle, a trailer vehicle spaced away from said tongue, a pole supported by .said trailer vehicle, means for binding said pole to said tongue and arranged to exert a constant yielding pressure on the pole, and

I means for securing the pole in fixed position on the trailer vehicle, the pole providing the sole connection between'the said tongue and the trailer vehicle.

7. Means for transporting poles or the likecoznprismg, in, combination, a tongue adapted to be attached to and extend rearwardly from the central portionof a drawvehicle, aseparable coupler for detachy connecting said tongue to said vehicle, a trailer. vehlcle' having a centrally positioned tongue, a pole supported by the trailer1vehicle,' me'ans for binding theforward end of sald poleto the first mentioned tongue, means securlng the pole to the trailer tongue, and, means for binding the .pole to thebody of the trailer vehicle, the

'poleproviding the sole connection between the trailer and the first mentioned tongue.-

/ 8. Pole-transporting means comprising, in

combination, a two-wheeled trailer cart having a forwardly projecting central tongue,

means for attaching said tongue to a pole or the like supported in the trailer in a frontto-rear position, means for securing the pole to the body of the trailer, and means com-, prising a second'tongue independent of the traller tongue and secured to the forward end of the poleand provided with separable coupllng means to enable it to be detachably connected to the rear end of a drawing vehicle to provide a connection between the the trailer to bind the pole to the tongue,

means for binding the pole to the body of the trailer, and means independent of the trailer tongue for attaching the said pole to a drawing vehicle, whereby the trailer cart isdrawn solely through the medium of the pole carried thereby. y t

10. Pole-transporting means comprising a trailer having a body and means for binding a pole to the body of the trailer comprising two chains to surround the pole, means for securing the chains together in pole-surrounding condition, one of the chains being attached to the trailer body,

a the other chain having a bolt attached to one end and passing down through a part on the trailer body, a nut on the lower end of said bolt, and a coiledcompression spring surroundin the bolt between said nut and the trailer body, said bolt being adapted to slide in its support and the chains being 'yieldably tensioned by adjusting said nut.

11. Means for transporting poles or the like comprising, in' combination, a tongue adapted to be attached to and extend rearwardly from a drawing vehicle, separable means for detachably connecting the tongue to thev vehicle, a two-wheeled trailer cart having-a body portion and a tongue, means carried by the first mentioned tongue and arranged to surround a pole supported by the trailer and to exert a'constant yielding pressure on the pole for bindin it to the tongue, means carried by the trailer tongue adapted to surround the pole for securing it to said trailer tongue, and means carried by the trailer body and adapted to surround the pole and bind the pole to the body with a constant yielding pressure.

12. Means for transporting poles or the like comprising in combination, a tongue adapted to be attached to and extend rear- Wardly from a drawing vehicle, a plurality of binding devices carried by said tongue, and comprising chains adapted to pass around a pole overlapping the tongue, and means for exerting a yielding tension on the chains to bind the pole to the tongue with a constant yielding pressure.

13. Pole-transporting means comprising, in combination, a mounting member adapted to be fixed to the rear portion of an automobile, a tongue, a detachable coupling comprising a ball element carried by said mounting member and a coacting socket element fixed on the forward end of said tongue, a trailer cart having a tongue, a socket element of a coupling mounted on said trailer tongue and adapted to receive the ball element on said mounting member when the first mentioned tongue is disassociated from said ball element whereby to connect the trailer cart directly to the automobile, means for securing to the first mentioned tongue a pole supported in the trailer cart and overlapping said tongue, and means for securing the said pole to the trailer cart.

14. Pole-transporting means comprising, in combination, a tongue detachable coupling means comprising elements adapted to be mounted respectively on the forward end of said tongue and the rear portion of a drawing vehicle for connecting the two, a

naaaaea two-wheeled trailer cart having atongue, a coupling element on the trailer tongue adapted to be associated with the coupling element on the drawing vehicle when the first mentioned tongue is disassociated therefrom whereby to directly attach the two vchiclestogethe'r, means for securing in position a pole carried by the trailer vehicle, and means for binding the forward end of such poleto the first mentioned tongue in overlapping relation, said binding means bemg arranged to exert a constant yielding pressure on the pole.

15. Pole-transporting means comprising,

in combination, a tongue, a detachablewupling comprising a ball element adapted to bemounted on the rear portion of a drawing. vehicle and a cooperating socket element mounted on'the forward end of said tongue, a two-wheeled trailer cart having a tongue, a

- socket clement mounted on the trailertongue and adapted to receive the ball element on said drawing vehicle when the first mentioned tongue is disassociated therefrom,

unattached, a ball said two tongues bein h the socket element clement cooperaing wit a on thetrailer tongue and having attached thereto means to surround a pole supported in'the trailer for attaching the pole to the trailer tongue, means surrounding the pole for binding it to the body of the trailer, and means to surround the forward end of the pole and bind it in overlapping relation to j the first mentioned tongue, the latter means being arranged to exert a constant yielding pressure on the pole;

'16. Pole-transporting means comprising a tongue adapted to be attached, to .and extend rearward] from a drawing vehicle, detachable coup ing means for connecting said tongue to said vehicle comprising disengage- .able-elements mounted respectively on the tongue and the vehicle, and means for'binding a pole to be drawn with its forward end in overlapping relation to said tongue, said binding means exerting a constant yielding pressure on the pole.

l7. Pole-transporting means comprising a tongue adapted to be attached to a drawing vehicle, detachable coupling means for connecting said tongue to said ehicle comprising disengageable elements mounted respectively on the tongue and the vehicle, a plurality of binding devices adapted to secure one end of a pole to be drawn in overlapping relation to saidtngue, veach of said devices comprising means to surround the pole. andtensioning means acting on said til surrounding means to cause the latter to draw upon the pole with a constant yield- 1mg pressure.

18. Pole-transporting means comprising a tongue adapted to be attached toa drawlng vehicle, detachable coupling means for conmeeting said tongue 'to said vehicle comprisvehicle.

in combination, a trailer having a tongue,

an independent tongue, and means for connecting either of said tongues to a drawing vehicle comprising two similar coupling elements mounted on the two tongues respectively, and. a complementary coupling element adapted to be mounted on the drawing 20. Pole-transporting means comprising, in combination, a trailerhavlng a tongue, an independent tongue, and coupling means for connecting either of said tongues to a drawing vehicle comprising two similar socket elements mounted on the two tongues respectively, and a ball coupling element adapted to be mounted on the drawing vehicle and engage with either of said socket elements.

21. Pole-transporting means comprising, in combination, a coupling element adapted to be mounted on a drawing vehicle, a trailer having a tongue, an independent tongue, said tongues having similar coupling ele- ,ments mounted thereon, either of WlllCh is adapted to disengageably coact with the first-mentioned coupling element, and means for securing a pole which is mounted in said trailer to both f said tongues.

' 22. Pole-transporting means comprising, in combination, a ball adapted to be mounted upon the rear portion of an automobile, a

tongue carrying a socket at its forward end adapted to receive said ball, a'two-wheeled trailer cart having a tongue provided on its forward end with a socket similar to the first-mentioned socket and also adapted to receive said ball when the socket of the firstmentioned tongue is disassociated from the ball whereby to directly connect the trader cart to the automobile. and suitable means for securing a load to the trailer cart and to the first-mentioned tongue.

23 Pole-transporting means comprlsmg, in combination, a coupling element adapted to be mounted on a drawing vehicle, a trailer, an independent tongue, said tongue and said trailer being equipped with similar coupling elements adapted to cooperate with the first-mentioned coupling element, and suitable means for securing a load to said trailer and said tongue.

24:. Pole-transporting means comprismg, in combination, a two-wheeled trailer cart having a forwardly projecting tongue, a ball and socket coupler, one element of which is mounted on said tongue, and means attached to the other coupler element and. adapted to 5 pass around a load tobind the same to the tongue. I 4

' 25. In apole-transporting means, a yehicle tongue, a separable coupler, one element' of which is mounted on said tongue, and means attached to the other coupler ele- 10 ment and arranged to pass around the load a to bind the load to the tongue.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ADDI BENJAMIN CADMAN. 

